Rolling mill switch



Jan. 15, 1963 M. MORGAN ROLLING MILL SWITCH 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 15, 1960 INVENTOR. 771 1 e s 7720 'rqan kiZbwm Jan. 15, 1963 M. MORGAN ROLLING MILL SWITCH 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 15, 1960 INVENTOR.

Myles Morgan H o neg United States Patent ROLLING MILL SWITCH Myles Morgan, Worcester, Mass., assignor to Morgan Construction Company, Worcester, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Apr. 15, 1960, Ser. No. 22,523 13 Claims. (Cl. 193-39) This invention relates to a rolling mill switch, and more particularly to apparatus arranged to direct successive lengths of rolling mill product along two dilferent paths.

In modern rolling mill practice, two cooling beds are frequently used to handle product in straight lengths delivered from a single mill. In fact, it is common practree in modern merchant mills to divide the product from a single billet into a number of pieces, sometimes as many as seven, for successive delivery to either of two cooling beds. The successive pieces divided from a single billet follow one another very closely as they proceed toward the cooling bed from the mill. Heretofore the direction of these successive pieces to either of the two cooling beds on mills equipped with drum type shear has been accomplished by means of a switch trough having the end nearest the mill pivoted about a vertical axis, and having the farther end reciprocate as required between two positions, each directing bars to one side of the cooling bed. At moderate mill delivery speeds this trough type of switch is suitable either for directing successive lengths alternately to each of two cooling beds, or for directing all of the lengths divided from a billet onto one cooling bed and switching to the other bed before the arrival of product from the next billet.

However, as mill delivery speeds increase, the time available between successive divided lengths becomes so short as to preclude successful operation of a. troughtype switch to direct successive lengths alternately to each of two cooling beds. In fact, even if switching is attempted only between billets, the time available between the last piece from one billet and the first piece from the next is too short for successful operation if successive billets enter the mill close together. Use of a longer operating cycle for the trough type switch is unsatisfactory, because the walls of thetrough, as they move laterally, strike the tail end of'one piece or the front end of the next, in either case deflecting the bar from its proper path and causing a cobble.

It is, therefore, an outstanding object of the invention to provide a rolling mill switch which is capable of directing successive lengths of rolled product efficiently and effectively into one of two selected paths.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a rolling mill switch which is rugged in construction and which is capable of handling heavy or light sections of bar.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a rolling mill switch which performs its function with-,

out damaging the rolled product.

It is another object of the instant invention to provide an improved rolling mill switch which is effective in operation, which is simple in construction, and in which maintenance problems are reduced to a minimum.

With these and other objects in view, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention resides in the combination of parts set forth in the specification and covered by the claims appended hereto.

The character of the invention, however, may be best understood by reference to certain of its structure forms as illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a rolling mill switch embodying the principles of the present invention:

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a portion of the invention taken along the line II--II of FIG. 1;

3,073,425 Patented Jan. 15, 1963 FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a portion of the invention taken along the line IIIIII of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken transversely of the invention along the line IVIV of FIG. 1.

Referring first to FIG. 1 wherein are best shown the general features of the invention, the rolling mill switch, generally indicated by the reference numeral 10, is shown associated with a run-out table 11 on which the product arrivesfrom the rolling mill and a run-on table 12 along which the product passes on its way to cooling beds (not shown). The run-out table has a single trough while the run-on'table 12 is provided with two alternate troughs 13 and 14 each going to a separate cooling bed, there being a dividing wall 15 between the two troughs. The rolling mill switch 10 consists of a trough 16 having side walls 17 and 18. The side wall 17 is aligned with the outer wall of the trough 13 of the run-on table 12, while the side wall 18 is aligned with the outer wall of the trough 14. The trough 16 is also provided with a floor 20 which is generally horizontal and which is on a level with the run-out table 11 and with the run-on table 12'. The trough 16 is provided with two vertically-movable sections 19 and 21 which are both of generally triangular form. The

vertically-movable section 19 is provided with a side 22 which is generally aligned with the side wall 18 of the trough, and with a base side 23 which extends laterally of the trough and which is at the end of the section 19 adjacent the run-on table 12 or downstream of the apis a roller 28; a similar roller 29 is located along the base side 26 of the section 21. It will be understood, however, that the rollers 28 and 29' are not mounted on their respective sections 19 and 21. On the contrary they are mounted on the fixed portions of the switch and are vertically movable independently of the sections. Extendingalong the diagonal side 24 of the section 19' is a hardened metal reinforcing plate 31 and a similar plate 32 is suitably bolted to the diagonal side 27 of the section 21. are arranged geometrically in the trough so that the side 23 of the section 19 extends across the opening to the trough 14 of the run-off table. The section 21 is related to the section 19 in such a way that the intersection of the base side 26 and the inclined side 27 lies very closely adjacent to the diagonal side 24 of the section 19. At the same time the roller 28 of the section 19 extends outwardly from the side wall across the middle of the trough, while the roller 29 of the section 21 also extends 1 well across the center line of the trough.

Also evident in FIG. 1 is the drive mechanism for the apparatus consisting of an electric motor 33 driving a gear reduction unit 34 whose output shaft is provided with a crank arm 35 working through a connecting rod- 36 to operate the apparatus ,as will be described fully hereinafter It should also be noted that an adjustable guide fence 37 is'located at the entrance to the trough 16 to aid in guiding incoming bar or rod.

'In FIG. 2 it can be seen that an elongated drive shaft 38 extends lengthwise under the trough 16 and part of the run-out table 12 and is mounted in suitable bearings 39 and 41. The connecting rod 36 is connected to the outer end of a crankarm 42, the other end of which is keyed to the shaft 38. This is particularly well shown in FIG. 4 which shows again the gear reduction unit 34,

It can be seen that the two sections 19' and 21 1 the crankarm 35 and the connecting rod 36, the latter being adjustable by means of a turnbuckle arrangement. The drawing shows the manner in which the bearings 39 and 41 are mounted on a fabricated base 43 along with the rest of the trough. In FIG. 4 the floor 20 is shown as flanked by the sections 19 and 21 which are provided with wear plates 31 and 32 as well as suitable side walls 40 and 50 extending respectively along the sides 22 and 25. As is evident in FIG. 4, the shaft 38 has arms similar to the arms 44 and 45 keyed to it at spaced intervals. There is at least one such arm separately to actuate the section 19, the section 21, the roller 28, and the roller 29. The arm 45 is fastened to a collar 46 which is slidable along the stud shaft 47 which extends vertically upwardly from the base 43. In a similar way the arm 44 is pivotally engaged with a collar 48 which is vertically slidable on a stud shaft 49 extending upwardly from the other side of the base 43. The collar 48 extends outwardly from and forms part of the roller 28 while the collar 46 forms a part of the portion 21 and extends downwardly therefrom. As is evident in FIG. 4, the sections 19 and 21 are quite thick so that the diagonal sides 2A and 27 always extend below the level of the floor 20 irrespective of the position into which the vertically movable sections 19 and 21 are moved.

In FIG. 3, which is a showing of the roller 29 associated with the vertically-movable section 21, the roller is shown as having a cylindrical surface 51 which extends outwardly to a point adjacent the side wall 17 of the trough. Its inner end, which lies slightly over the center line of the trough, is provided with a flange 52 so that the roller resembles a thread spool with the flange removed from one end. The roller is suitably mounted in bearings on a shaft 53 suitably mounted at one end in a supporting member 58. This view shows how the collar 46 is related to the member 58 in this area and is fitted over the stub shaft 47.

FIG. 1 shows that part of the edge 24 of the verticallymovable section 19 is provided with a beveled portion 54 while a similar beveled portion 55 is provided on the vertically-movable section 21. This portion 55 is particularly well shown in FIG. 4 where it is shown as an inclination of the fioor adjacent the edge 27. The edge 24 of the section 19 as well as the edge 27 of the section 21 is provided with guide grooves part-way down from the upper surface. These grooves 56 and 57 are formed in the wear plates 31 and 32, respectively.

The operation of the invention will now be readily understood in view of the above description. The bar, before it reaches the switch 10, usually passes from the finishing stand of the rolling mill through a flying shear where it is cut into suitable lengths for the cooling bed. It then passes along the run-out table 11 to the switch. The front end of the first bar passes into the trough 16 usually along its center line. At this time in the operation let it be assumed that the front end is to pass along the trough 14 of the run-on table 12 to a cooling bed associated therewith. For that purpose the vertically-movable section 19is in a position where the upper surface is on a level with the floor 20 of the trough, while verticallymovable section 21 is raised so that its upper surface is well above the level of the floor 20 and its inclined edge 27 extends above the floor 20 a considerable distance similar to the situation shown in FIG. 4. The front end of the bar strikes the side 27 anywhere along its length and rides along the groove 57 so that it is moved by the inclined surface 27 to the right in FIG. 1. It eventually passes over the surface of the section 19 as well as the roller 28 onto the trough 14. As the bar proceeds and is moved forward by driven rolls associated with the run-on table, and long before the. rear end of the first piece reaches the switch, the mechanism is actuated to reverse the rolls of the vertically-movablesections 19 and 21. For this purpose the motor 33 is energized, driv, ns h o h t e s ar du tion ni 3 th cra k arm 4 and the connecting rod 36 to rotate the shaft 38. This will be done in a counterclockwise direction, as shown in FIG. 4, causing the arm 45 to raise the sleeve 48 and the vertically-movable section 19 while the arm 44 lowers the sleeve 46 and the vertically-movable section 21 so that the sections reverse positions. The bar which has entered the run-off trough 14 continues onwardly, its tail end passing over the roller 28 and being constrained against moving sideways between the flange 52 of the roller 28 and the side guard 22. The presence of the beveled portion 54 prevents the rearward portion of the bar from camming along the edge 24 (which would cause the rear end to move to the left of FIG. 1 and be bent laterally, either by striking the other side wall 17 of the trough or by hooking around the flange 52 of the roller 28). In most instances the front end of the next bar would closely follow the rear end of the bar which has just been described. By the time this new front end arrives at the trough 16 the section 19 will be raised to its highest point while the section 21 will be lowered to floor level. The front end of the second section of the bar strikes the edge 24 of the section 19, slides along the groove 56, and is directed into the trough 13 of the runon table 12. It passes over the upper surface of the section 21 and over the roller 29 without encountering obstacles and, after it is well advanced into the run-on table (and, of course, the first bar has entirely passed through the switch), the sections 19 and 21 are again reversed by energizing the motor 33; this rotates the shaft 38 in a clockwise direction returning the sections to the position shown in FIG. 4. At that time the rear end of the second bar will pass over the roller 29 and will be prevented from moving too far to the right by the flange 52 of the roller. Here again the beveled portion 55 provides for a straight arc of the bar from the upper surface of the portion 21 to the surface of the floor 20 without striking the corner of the edge 27 at its intersection with the upper surface of the section 21 and being cammed forwardly where it might be bent. Since it is possible for small sections of product to be jammed between the edge 24- of the section 19 and the flange 52 of the roller 29, the guide fence 37 is provided to make sure that all bars are slightly to the left of the center line of the switch. Then, when the section 21 is raised again and the two sections 19 and 21 meet halfway between their changed positions, there is no corner in which a small bar or rod may jam.

As has been noted, the rollers 28 and 29 are vertically movable simultaneously with their respective sections 19 and 21 by arms which are angularly advanced on the shaft 38 ahead of the arms 44 and 45. They are moved by means of arms connected to the drive shaft 38 and so are moved in synchronism with the sections and raise the rod off the floor 20 of the trough 16 reducing the frictional contact of the rod with the floor. It will be arranged so that when a section is in the lower position, its roller will be even lower so that the flange will be completely below the table level eliminating the possibility of interference with the rod which is arcing over the diagonal side walls. A certain amount of lost motion is pro vided for in the actuating collars and shafts associated with the sections 19 and 21, so that each roller continues on downwardly to its lowest position after its section has reached its lowest position.

It is obvious that minor changes may be in the form and construction of the invention without departing from the material spirit thereof. It is not, however, desired to confine the invention to the exact form herein shown and described, but it is desired to include all such as properly come within the scope claimed.

The invention having been thus described, what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A rolling mill switch for directing successive lengths of mill product alternately to two generally parallel troughs, comprising a main trough along which the product passes longitudinally, the trough having a 'fioor and side walls for limiting the lateral movement of the product, a first vertically-movable section of the floor having an upper surface with a diagonally extending side facing toward one side wall of the main trough, a second vertically-movable section of the floor located upstream of the first section and having an upper surface with a diagonally extending side facing toward the other side wall of the main trough, said vertically movable sections being in lateral relation to each other and means for causing the said one section to move downwardly so that its upper surface is in the plane of the floor and for causing the said other section to move upwardly so that its upper, surfaceis raised substantially above the plane of the floor.

2. A rolling mill switch for directing successive lengths of mill product alternately to two generally parallel troughs, comprising an elongated trough having a floor and two side walls for limitingthe lateral movement of the product, a first vertically-movable section of the floor having an upper surface and being of a generally triangular form with a base side facing downstream, a side aligned with one side wall of the trough, and a diagonally extending side facing toward the other side wall of the trough, a second vertically-movable section of the floor located upstream of the first section and having an upper surface with a base side facing downstream, a side aligned with the said other side wall of the trough, and a diagonally extending side facing toward the said one side wall of the trough, and means for causing the said one section to move downwardly so that its upper surface is in the plane of the floor and for causing the said other section to move upwardly so that its upper surface is raised substantially above the plane of the floor.

3. A rolling mill switch for directing successive lengths of mill product alternately to two generally parallel paths, comprising an elongated trough along which the product passes longitudinally, the trough having a floor and two side walls for limiting the lateral movement of the product, a first vertically-movable section of the floor having an upper surface and being of a generally triangular form with a base side facing downstream, a side aligned with one side wall of the trough and a diagonal side extending in the direction of movement of the product consisting of a plane of substantial vertical extent facing toward the other side wall of the trough, a second vertically-movable section of the floor located upstream of the first section and having an upper surface with a base side facing downstream, a side aligned with the said other side wall of the trough, and a diagonal side extending in the direction of movement of the product consisting of a plane of substantial vertical extent facing toward the said one side wall of the trough, and means for causing the said one section to move downwardly so that its upper surface is in the plane of the floor and for causing the said other section to move upwardly so that its upper surface is raised substantially above the plane of the floor.

4. A rolling mill switch as recited in claim 3 wherein a groove is formed in each of the diagonal sides.

5. A rolling mill switch for directing successive lengths of mill product alternately to two generally parallel troughs, comprising an elongated trough along which the product passes longitudinally, the trough having a floor and two side walls for limiting the lateral movement of the product, a first vertically-movable section of the floor having an upper surface and being of a generally triangular form with a base side facing downstream, a side aligned with one side wall of the trough, and a diagonal side facing toward the other side wall of the trough, a first rotatable roller vertically movable with said first section whose periphery normally extends above the upper surface of the section, a second vertically- 6 the said one side wall of the trough, a second roller--verti+ cally movable with said' second section in thesame man: ner as that of the first section, andlmeans for causing the said one section and said first roller tomove downwardly so that its upper surface is in the plane of the floor and for causing the said other section and said second roller to move upwardly so that its upper surface-is raisedsubstantially above the plane of the floor.

6. A rolling mill switch as recited in claim'5 wherein each roller is provided withv a flange at theend thereof adjacent the diagonal side.

7. A rolling mill switch for directing successive lengths of mill product alternately to two generally parallel paths, comprising anfelongated trough along whichthe product passes longitudinally, the trough having a floor and two side walls for limiting the lateral movement of the product, a first vertically-movable section .of the fioor having i an upper surface and being of a generally triangular form with abase side facing downstream, a side aligned with one side wall of the trough, and a diagonal side facing toward the other side wall of the trough, a second verti: cally-movable section of the floor located upstream of the first section and having an upper surface with a base side facing downstream, a side aligned with the said other wall of the trough, and a diagonal side facing toward the said oneside of the trough, each section being mounted on a vertical slide means, and an actuating shaft underlying the trough and connected to the section for causing the said one section to move downwardly so that its upper surface is in the plane of the floor and for causing the said other section to move upwardly so that its upper surface is raised substantially, above the plane of the floor.

8. A rolling mill switch as recited in claim 7 wherein a generous beveled portion is provided in connection with the upper surface and diagonal side of each-section,

9. A rolling mill switch for directing successive lengths of mill product alternately to two generally parallel paths, comprising an elongated trough along which the product passes longitudinally, the trough having a floor and two side walls for limiting the lateral movement of the product, a first vertically-movable section of the floor having an upper surface and being of a generally triangular form with a base side facing downstream and having a vertically rotatable movable first rotatable roller ,whose periphery normally extends above the upper surface of the section, a side aligned with one side wall of the trough and a diagonal side extending in the direction of the movement of the product consisting of a plane of substantial vertical extent facing toward the other.side wall of the trough, a second vertically-movable section of the fioor'located upstream of the first section andhaving an upper surface with a base side facing downstream and having a vertically movable second roller, a side aligned with the said other side wall of the trough, and a diagonal side extending in the direction of movement of the product consisting of a plane of substantial vertical extent facing toward the said one side wall of the trough, and means for causing the said one section and said first roller to move downwardly so that its upper section is in the plane of the floor and for causing the said other section and said second roller to move upwardly so that its upper surface is raised substantially above the plane of the floor.

10. A rolling mill switch for directing successive lengths of mill product alternately to two generally parallel paths, comprising an elongated trough along which the product passes longitudinally, the trough having a floor and two side walls for limiting the lateral movemcnt of the product, a first vertically-movable section of the floor having an upper surface and being of a generally triangular form with a base side facing downstream, a side aligned with one side Wall of the trough, and a diagonal side extending in the direction of movement of the product consisting of a plane of substantial vertical extent facing toward the other side wall of the trough, a second vertically-movable section of the floor located upstream of the first section and having an upper surface with a base side facing downstream, a side aligned with the said other side wall of the trough, and a diagonal side extending in the direction of movement of the product consisting of a plane of substantial vertical extent facing toward the said one side Wall of the trough, each section being mounted on a vertical guide means, and an actuating shaft underlying the trough and connected to the section for causing the said one section to move downwardly so that its upper surface is in the plane of the floor and for causing the said other section tomove upwardly so that its upper surface is raised substantially above the plane of the floor.

11. A rolling mill switch for directing successive lengths of mill product alternately to two generally parallel paths, comprising an elongated trough along which the product passes longitudinally, the trough having a floor and two side walls for limiting the lateral movement of the product, a first vertically-movable section of the floor having an upper surface and being of a generally triangular form with a base side facing downstream and a first vertically movable rotatable roller whose periphery normally extends above the upper surface of the section, a side aligned with one side wall of the trough, and a diagonal side extending toward the other side wall of the trough, a second vertically-movable section of the floor located upstream of the first section and having an upper surface with a base side facing downstream, a side aligned with the other side wall of the trough having a base side facing downstream and a second vertically movable roller, a side aligned with the said upper side wall of the trough, and a diagonal side extending toward the said one side wall and an actuating shaft underlying the trough and connected to the sections for causing the said one section and said first roller to move downwardly so that its upper surface is in the plane of the floor and for causing the said other section and said second roller to :move upwardly so that its upper surface is raised substantially above the plane of the floor.

12. A rolling mill switch for directing successive lengths of mill product alternately to two generally parallel paths, comprising an elongated trough along which the product passes longitudinally, the trough having a floor and two side walls for limiting the lateral move ment of the product, a first vertically movable section of the floor having an upper surface and being of a generally triangular form with a base side facing downstream and a first vertically movable rotatable roller disposed intermediate the ends of said first section whose periphery normally extends above the upper surface of the section,

a side aligned with one side wall of the trough, and a diagonal side extending in the direction of movement of the product consisting of a plane of substantial vertical extent facing toward the other side wall of the trough, a. second vertically-movable section of the ficor located upstream of the first section and having an upper surface with a base side facing downstream and a vertically movable roller, a side aligned with the said other side wall of the rough, and a diagonal side extending in the direction of movement of the product consisting of a plane of substantial vertical extent facing toward the said one side wall of the trough, each section being mounted on a vertical guide means, and an actuating shaft underlying the trough and connected to the section for causing the said one section to move downwardly with said first roller so that its upper surface is in the plane of the floor and for causing the said other section to move upwardly with said second roller so that its upper surface is raised substantially above the plane of the fioor.

13. A rolling mill switch for directing successive lengths of mill product alternately to two generally parallel troughs, comprising an elongated trough along which the product passes longitudinally, the trough having a floor and two side walls for limiting the lateral movement of the product, a first vertically-movable section of the floor having an upper surface and being of a generally triangular form with a base side facing downstream, a side aligned with one side wall of the trough, and a diagonal side extending toward the other side wall of the trough, a first rotatable roller vertically movable simultaneously with said first section and whose periphery above the upper surface of the section, a second vertically-movable section of the floor located upstream of the first section and having an upper surface with a base side facing downstream, a side aligned with the said other side wall of the trough, and a diagonal side extending toward the said one side wall of the trough, a second roller vertically movable with the second section in the same manner as that of the first section, means for causing the said one section to move downwardly so that its upper surface is in the plane of the floor and. for causing the said other section to move upwardly so that its upper surface is raised substantially above the plane of the floor, and means for moving each roller with its section in such a manner that, when its section is in the plane of the floor, the roller is entirely below it.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,711,809 OKeefe et al. June 28, 1955 

1. A ROLLING MILL SWITCH FOR DIRECTING SUCCESSIVE LENGTHS OF MILL PRODUCT ALTERNATELY TO TWO GENERALLY PARALLEL TROUGHS, COMPRISING A MAIN TROUGH ALONG WHICH THE PRODUCT PASSES LONGITUDINALLY, THE TROUGH HAVING A FLOOR AND SIDE WALLS FOR LIMITING THE LATERAL MOVEMENT OF THE PRODUCT, A FIRST VERTICALLY-MOVABLE SECTION OF THE FLOOR HAVING AN UPPER SURFACE WITH A DIAGONALLY EXTENDING SIDE FACING TOWARD ONE SIDE WALL OF THE MAIN TROUGH, A SECOND VERTICALLY-MOVABLE SECTION OF THE FLOOR LOCATED UPSTREAM OF THE FIRST SECTION AND HAVING AN UPPER SURFACE WITH A DIAGONALLY EXTENDING SIDE FACING TOWARD THE OTHER SIDE WALL OF THE MAIN TROUGH, SAID VERTICALLY MOVABLE SECTIONS BEING IN LATERAL RELATION TO EACH OTHER AND MEANS FOR CAUSING THE SAID ONE SECTION TO MOVE DOWNWARDLY SO THAT ITS UPPER SURFACE IS IN THE PLANE OF THE FLOOR AND FOR CAUSING THE SAID OTHER SECTION TO MOVE UPWARDLY SO THAT ITS UPPER SURFACE IS RAISED SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE THE PLANE OF THE FLOOR. 